Women of Impact: Interview with Kathleen Melde

Women of Impact: Interview with Kathleen Melde

Kathleen Melde, professor of electrical and computer engineering, serves as associate dean of faculty affairs and inclusion in the College of Engineering. She discusses championing culture change, including newcomers and lessons in teamwork from a back country rescue unit.

In the "Conversations with Women of Impact" interview series, Women of Impact award winners provide perspectives on the future of their fields, share what inspires them, and discuss what they've been up to over the last year.

Please tell us about your work. 

As a faculty member my research work revolved around creating real world solutions for improved wireless communications and electronics packaging. My work was cited in a seminal Ericsson patent that has been used in millions of wireless handsets manufactured by Ericsson and then later Sony since 1999. 

My current work is in engineering administration and I serve as the first associate dean for faculty affairs and inclusion in the history of the College of Engineering. My work has involved hiring exceptional faculty for our growing programs in computer science and engineering, software engineering, and cancer engineering. Embedded in this work has been rolling out a process and culture of diversifying the overall faculty in the College of Engineering. I am happy to say Engineering has embraced this work and we have seen significant shifts in our overall faculty diversity. I also help the college, the department heads and our faculty in achieving career success and growth while maintaining a positive work/life balance. 

What kind of impact would you like to have on your field and society through your career?  

In my technical field I have improved peoples’ lives by my own inventions. I have also trained an extraordinary group of students who are now in turn creating important invention. The impact I am most proud of is seeing how some of the things that did not exist when I was young in my career becoming normalized. For example, when I had young children, there were some years where I had to miss a major conference due to a travel conflict with my husband or something similar. At the time, women really could not advertise that out to their peers for fear of seeming not so serious. I am happy to see when my male colleagues with families are comfortable publicly announcing their choices. I feel that by being vocal and honest about balancing things, I have helped pave a way where they can do this and it is normalized. I want to extend this pragmatic and authentic approach to career success and work/life balance to other areas of the career journey.   

What is something you want people to know about inclusion? 

Inclusion matters. Be the one to make someone else’s day. Many people are uncomfortable going to parties or events by themselves. It reminds of our adolescent years perhaps and being included. So, if you are at an event or meeting where you see someone who is new or seems to be new, then be the one to bring that person in the group. Inclusion really means the capacity to meet someone new.  

What are your expectations for your field and the ways in which it might grow or evolve over the next 20 years? 

Engineering technologies and ideas are very integrated. New ideas come from multiple disciplines. AI will revolutionize research dramatically in the next 20 years. We are only seeing the very first ideas of AI. As with many technologies, AI in the hands of many people will finds unique ways for positive impact. We have seen this many times over in technology. 

What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself? 

Identify your strengths and unique lens to view the world, then use them. Not everyone sees things through the same lens. I think things could have been simpler knowing this. 

What’s your latest recommendation for a good book, movie, album, TV show or podcast?   

I enjoy outdoor adventure, why? Because you need to focus and be at one with your environment. My favorite podcast is called, The Fine Line by BackCountry Zero. It is about The Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR) team in the backcountry of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Back country rescues can happen to anyone at any time. Preparation and awareness of surroundings is essential to survival. I also find the protocols and teamwork in a rescue are important. TCSAR provides these rescue services for no cost. My son was short hauled off the Jackson Hole Via Ferrata after he broke his ankle. The rescue crews were amazing and showed great teamwork. These lessons can be applied to our work every day. The outdoors grounds me and brings humility and patience in my work.